A Comfortable and Relaxing Spot

Well the deck is officially occupied! We are so excited about having some comfortable furniture to sit on. We will be able to comfortable seat about fourteen . With a card table another four people.Take note of the pretty planter....it drains onto the ground between the decks. I love that. Don't think we will have trouble having something growing there. It gets sun for part of the afternoon. I will be looking for the perfect group of flowers to put out there. I want to resist cluttering it up out there. Maybe a couple large pots would be nice to replace the two plastic ones....but I don't want a lot of stuff out there. Wind chimes might be a nice touch. Now we need the electrician to come and put in some lights on the steps and also a few plugs.

I know Jim feels good about this. He has been wanting to build something for years. I think he enjoys doing the larger things like this rather than furniture....but I do want him to build me some book shelves to replace the junky Wal-mart ones I have and also a coffee table for the family room to match the end tables he made so many moons ago. Oak was much cheaper then so the coffee table will probably be twice as much as both end tables together.

We are going to enjoy this deck....already I have found it a relaxing place to sit and read the mail after school and hug on my pup. We have some friends to come hang out a bit....no big shin digs yet. We will need to get a bigger grill for that. We are anxious for Josh and Randi to come and see.

It was worth the wait...even if the wait was about 20 years!

Yum, yum, yum!!!

Below...host and hostess with the mostest!! Great food, great company and a debate toboot. Friday was a fun time. Thanks guys!

It isn't often a person gets to sample a gourmet dinner, but on Friday evening the Convilles had Jim and I over for pork chops...grilled to just the right temp inhanced with a chipotle glaze and cheese grits....not to chipotleish....it was juuuuusssstttttt right. The salad was fresh baby greens with strawberries and a raseberry vinegarette. It was just perfect. After dinner Lora worked her magic and carmelized some sugar, added bananas and poured it over a thick chocolate brownie....with ice cream along side.....YummMMMM!!!! It was worthy of Bon aPetite Magazine. Then we settled down to watch the Presidential debate. Sophie had a great time, too. There are only a couple of places we can have this much fun and take our dog, too!! It was a great way to spend a Friday night!!! Helen and Carroll loved it, too.

Sorry the last shot is sideways. I can't get it to turn over....frustration!!!

You Are Here

I have a theory... no longer do Americans live in a world that really touches the senses. We can't feel the blogosphere, we can't smell the blogosphere, nor can we taste it. ("Blogosphere" can mean anything we do when we are on the net.) We see... and sometimes we hear when we are on our laptops, but the rest of our senses are just not being stimulated. Just think...before TV, people experienced even more of their senses. They were engaged in the real world....a world that is not sanitized....a world which was REAL.

I marvel at the road humans have traveled since just before TV until this moment. The fruits of electricity have changed us so much...and a lot for the good, but I can't help but look back and wonder what we are losing. The global village can be a bit cold, yet it enables us to be close to people we rarely "see" in person. Good/Bad...the digital age brings both our way. I feel fortuate to have been raised in a time when we spent our time outside until forced to come in the house. We spent our summers smelly as dogs playing...playing hard...not checking out our friends on Facebook....and I think we were the better for it.

I have had a great weekend as I have been away from the "boob tube" and have had wonderful and stimulating conversation with people who are special to me. Spending time outside chatting with people who drop by for a visit is great! This deck/porch Jim built for me might get me in touch with the human race again...at least people over the age of 13!

Almost there....

Jim has done a great job..... and he has all the gates done, both sets of steps and the railings....he still needs to put in some screws.....we are looking for a table. That may have to wait until spring. Nobody is selling furniture at this time. If you see any out there in the world let me know. I have always wanted a front porch....

Congrats to Zoe on her Graduation!

Just in hot off the press.....Zoe Mae Smith has GRADUATED!! (She is one of Sophie's nearest and dearest.) After weeks of grueling training and string cheese treats Zoe has passed her finals and even got a trophy for Most Improved in her class! I am so impressed.

Here is Zoe Mae Smith before puppy school....wild as a March hare! haha Seriously, I couldn't imagine why Zoe had to go to dog college. Sophie is the one with the wild streak.

This acutally looks like a lot of fun, but I can't imagine Sophie not wanting to play, play, play the WHOLE time.

Zoe reminds me of granddog, Gatsby......they are both Yorkie Poos....or Porkys....take your pick. I like the way Zoe is doing her E. T. impression in this pic.....sitting up nice and straight and checking it all out. It is neat to see the variety of pups in this class. It always cracks me up cuz the little dogs don't seem to know they are little.

Next on the graduation list is Zoe's Mom, Jeananne ..aka "Jo".

We are rooting for you Dr. Jo!!!